Sorry, don't mean to be rude - real, honest question, as I see this a lot here on Bluesky: it's terrible if someone cannot see (properly), as this is a very visual world, and good photographers are some of my fav accounts to follow - but do these trite descriptions really help people who cannot see? - ThreadSky

temporaryhermit.bsky.social • 95 days ago

Sorry, don't mean to be rude - real, honest question, as I see this a lot here on Bluesky:
it's terrible if someone cannot see (properly), as this is a very visual world, and good photographers are some of my fav accounts to follow - but do these trite descriptions really help people who cannot see?

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copperyfoxx.bsky.social•95 days ago

Hope this helps!

https://youtube.com/shorts/HBiTPoST2FM?si=RFP2jzoBsT_EFx02

temporaryhermit.bsky.social•95 days ago

(Also, how does it work? Is there a function which reads them aloud to them? What with music for people who cannot hear?)
I sometimes read those alt texts, as I read everything, and they never do the pictures justice, especially if they are really good and complex and/or funny.
If I post something..

temporaryhermit.bsky.social•95 days ago

..and someone cannot see something properly, or has any question, I'd much prefer they'd just ask me - I'd be happy to explain and fill them in in any way available to me.

copperyfoxx.bsky.social•95 days ago

I can’t speak for blind people because I have average vision: but the descriptions help because if someone is using a program or the accessibility options on their phone, they can have the description read out loud. So especially for those that rely on that, it gives them more context.

copperyfoxx.bsky.social•95 days ago

For example someone posts “Me and my favourite hiking bud” w a pic of them and their dog, the person that cannot see can get the context from the alt description that it’s a person and a dog and not two people. Blind people still use social media, just a little differently than we do!

temporaryhermit.bsky.social•95 days ago

Thanks for taking the time to explain.
Do you know whether the program that reads the alt text to visually impaired people also reads the text of the post itself to them ? (So that I know what information they already have and which part they might miss ?)
I do understand the context thing - but ...

copperyfoxx.bsky.social•95 days ago

If it helps - this one that you reposted is a good example of a simple alt text description.

copperyfoxx.bsky.social•95 days ago

It’s awesome you’re interested in understanding! It would read all of the text in the post and the alt text as well. So if I posted something that Said “Happy Easter!” With a pic of me wearing bunny ears, I could add alt text that says “Smiling woman outside wearing bunny ears”.

copperyfoxx.bsky.social•95 days ago

This would mean when someone using a screen reader reader could have “Happy Easter!” read out loud, And for the image description “Smiling woman outside wearing bunny ears”. Without the alt text, they just get “Happy Easter” and “image”, but they don’t know what the image is.

temporaryhermit.bsky.social•95 days ago

Thanks again - but the kind of stuff I post is more like: 'series of pics from my walk yesterday' - which already explains what it is in general - but explaining what I saw & did on that walk would require a story (probabaly nobody cares about).
Or I repost a music video from YT which you can ....

temporaryhermit.bsky.social•95 days ago

...in order to get across what's in a really good picture, I would have to write an essay. I would - but only for someone who really wants to know.

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